THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU ...
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ISLAMABAD, June 3: Women were barred by elders from voting in a local election in Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber- Pakhtunkhwa province, prompt- ing the Election Commission to order re-elections in the restive region. Elections were held on May 7 in Lower Dir region in the conser- vative province in the northwest and won by a candidate of right- wing Islamic party, Jamat-i-Islami. Local media and civil socie- ty groups said that women were absent from the polling station as they were barred under an agreement by political parties and elders. The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP), which supervis- es the polls, after a meeting yes- terday cancelled the results and ordered re-polling in the con- stituency. “The by-election of con- stituency No PK-95 Lower Dir- II is hereby declared void for the reasons of disenfranchisement of female voters,” the ECP said in a statement. “New election schedule shall be announced in accordance with law, in due course,” it said. Aizaz-ul-Mulk who had won the elections criticised the ECP and said that no agreement was made to stop women from vot- ing. He decided to challenge it in the Supreme Court. Women in conservative north-western region are often not allowed to go out of their homes and often barred to vote for which they need to go out to the polling stations. (PTI) THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU Women barred from voting in local elections in Pak
Transcript of THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU ...
ISLAMABAD, June 3:
Women were barred by eldersfrom voting in a local election inPakistan’s northwestern Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, prompt-ing the Election Commission toorder re-elections in the restiveregion.
Elections were held on May 7in Lower Dir region in the conser-vative province in the northwestand won by a candidate of right-wing Islamic party, Jamat-i-Islami.
Local media and civil socie-ty groups said that women wereabsent from the polling stationas they were barred under anagreement by political partiesand elders.
The Election Commission ofPakistan (ECP), which supervis-es the polls, after a meeting yes-terday cancelled the results andordered re-polling in the con-stituency.
“The by-election of con-
stituency No PK-95 Lower Dir-II is hereby declared void for thereasons of disenfranchisementof female voters,” the ECP saidin a statement.
“New election schedule shallbe announced in accordancewith law, in due course,” it said.
Aizaz-ul-Mulk who had wonthe elections criticised the ECPand said that no agreement wasmade to stop women from vot-
ing. He decided to challenge it inthe Supreme Court.
Women in conservativenorth-western region are often
not allowed to go out of theirhomes and often barred to votefor which they need to go out tothe polling stations. (PTI)
THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 (PAGE 16) DAILY EXCELSIOR, JAMMU
Women barred from voting in local elections in Pak
